The operator of a new cruise ferry operation between Nova Scotia and Maine has asked the provincial government to approve delaying the service by two weeks.

Nova Star Cruises says it has submitted a request with the government to move the proposed launch date for the service between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Portland, Maine from May 1 to May 15.

The company says it has been working within a compressed timetable and while it doesn’t expect the delay to have a significant impact on business, that extra time could be valuable in final preparations.

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission approved the company once it demonstrated it could refund customers for cancelled trips with a $2 million surety bond. That bond is funded by the Nova Scotia government.
The Nova Star Ferry can carry up to 1,215 passengers.